As a postpartum nurse at St. Mary’s Medical Center, Stephanie Gregory works closely with obstetrician Dr. Michael White taking care of moms and their new babies. So, when Stephanie found out she was having a baby of her own, she immediately chose Dr. White as her labor and delivery provider.
“I admire how Dr. White works at the bedside and the relationships he has with his patients,” Stephanie says, “and I wanted that kind of personal care for my own birthing experience. He knew me and knew how I wanted to deliver my baby, so it was great to have him as my doctor throughout the whole process.”
According to Dr. White, St. Mary’s Medical Center provides customized care with birth plans tailored to every mom. “We want to know what is important to the patient in labor and delivery so we can plan in advance with no surprises. It’s a mom’s birth experience; it’s precious cargo, and how it gets here is important, not just for the mom but for the father too.”
For Stephanie and her husband, Russ, it was important to have the baby naturally, without inducement, and to keep the gender of the baby a surprise. “Dr. White was so good at honoring our desire to not know the sex of our baby until delivery, and we appreciated that. I also had a choice in the kind of care I received at the hospital and trusted that every medical decision I made was honored. I was in such good hands.”
The Gregory’s daughter, London, was born on her exact due date, without inducement. “That never happens,” laughs Dr. White, “but it was so satisfying to help Stephanie and Russ have such a healthy, beautiful baby and do it their way.”
Stephanie says that her experience went far beyond her expectations. “From beginning to end, I was able to direct my care and it was a wonderful experience because of the great team at St. Mary’s. From the delivering provider to the midwife to my laboring nurse, they work so well as a team and made me feel special as a patient.”
Dr. White added that it’s important that the whole process is an ongoing conversation. “We work hard to create an environment where our patients feel comfortable speaking up and telling us what they want, even if it’s simply turning the lights down or playing certain music or just getting in the tub if they feel like it.”
“I was just praying for a happy, health baby,” says Stephanie. “Dr. White gave me confidence that it was going to happen when it was naturally supposed to happen. He was patient and understanding throughout the whole process and I was blessed to have a healthy, stable labor and delivery, which is really all a mom wants.”
“I get so much joy out of watching parents meet their baby for the first time,” Dr. White says. “It’s such a profound moment and I’m grateful to be able to share it.”
To other new moms, Stephanie offers this advice: “Choose your provider carefully. Choose someone you can connect with. Let your birthing expectations be known and trust that those expectations will be honored. But also know that labor isn’t always a direct pathway to what you want, so be open for changes that may arise.”
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